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Cash-only bond set in alleged domestic battery

By Ray King

OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF

A $25,000 cash-only bond was set Tuesday for a man who allegedly beat and bit his girlfriend, and refused to let her leave their residence.

Jefferson County District Judge Kim Bridgforth set the bond after ruling that prosecutors had probable cause to charge Tarsheen Sykes, 20, with first-degree false imprisonment and second-degree domestic battery.

Sykes, who has a Little Rock address, was arrested Sunday morning after police were sent to a reported disturbance in the 800 block of West 20th Avenue.

Testifying at the court hearing, Detective Jeremy Oswalt said the female victim, who was not identified, told officers she and Sykes had gotten into an argument at around midnight, and when she attempted to leave, Sykes allegedly grabbed her by the hair, pulled her into the house and battered her.

Oswalt said police documented injuries to the woman including gashes in her head, her left eye swollen shut, and bite marks on her face and left side. She was interviewed after being taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center.

In addition, Oswalt reported in a probable cause affidavit that a window in the front of the house was broken, and there was extensive damage to more than one room of the residence.

According to the affidavit from Oswalt, Sykes admitted hitting the woman after she allegedly “poked him in the face,” and also admitted biting her after she allegedly bit him, but denied trying to keep her from leaving the house.

Deputy Prosecutor Maxie Kizer said Sykes has no prior felony convictions of pending charges, but does have two failures to appear in district court, one from Pine Bluff and the second from Little Rock.

In addition to setting the bond, Bridgforth ordered Sykes to have no contact with the alleged victim until the case is settled.